Simpleweeble

I’ve been noticing more and more people around me using bikes as a main mode of transportation.  I admit that I aspire to do that but I’m a scaredy-cat bike rider. 

After watching the trailer of ‘Crude’, it inspired me to make some changes. I’d like to give up anything that runs on petroleum.  Can’t do that yet, but I can start by biking (that’s my new cruiser in the photo.)

Honolulu has been focusing on updating their bike paths and have posted it to the web. Check it out O’ahu Bike Plan: a bicycle masterplan.

Here’s some cool facts:

-If all Americans between 10 and 64 were to bicycle instead of drive for 60 minutes a day, the resulting reduction in CO₂ emissions would be 11% of 1990 net US emissions.

-Half of U.S. schoolchildren are dropped off at school in the family car.  If 20% of those living within two miles of school were to bike or walk instead, it would save 4.3 million miles of driving per day.  Over a year, that saved driving would prevent 356,000 tons of CO₂ and 21,500 tons of other pollutants from being emitted.

-Commuting by bicycle for 15 minutes each way (about 2-3 miles) meets the Center for Disease Control’s minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day.

-In one year, riding a bicycle versus owning & driving will save an individual $8,000.